DE's and becoming an intermediate driver
 

After three years of DE's and approximately 35-40 track days I consider myself a decent intermediate DE driver. Thats probable much longer than most participants take and I know several guys on this forum that have taken much less time.

But I feel I'm there now and I have to say the smartest decision I have made in my life was to buy a low cost, low optioned carrera three years ago and learn to drive it solidly on the track. THis includes hiring a driving coach.

This past weekend i ran in the Delaware DE at NJMP for two days and it started to really come together.

Even as the M3's, GT3's and turbo's, cayman R's and their great drivers whizzed by I was totally focused and never was better at being in touch with the dynamics of the car.

Driving this car and learning to utilize...

throttle steering
slip angle
heel-toe
smooth shifting
oversteering and understeering
late apexing

is worth every penny I have spent to track this car.

Its not for everyone and tracking a brand new porsche would not be my first choice.

But getting a DE or two in after being an owner for a while may be something you find brings you to a new level of excitement and ownership enjoyment.

how do you find these DE events?

thanks

Yeah you're slow... in the paddock! Plenty fast as I can see. :-)

Great writeup and great weekend at NJMP I bet with this Indian summer we're having. Right now I'm pretty hooked too and actually pretty bummed that the track season is ending soon. You guys who daily drive or have consistent great warm weather, ur lucky folks, don't take it for granted! When I go to the track I know I'm guaranteed 2.5-3 hrs (or 8 in open track!) of full effect pure driving. I don't mind rain in the track at all, given that I have a street suspension (for another 2 weeks ;) So track is awesome for that reliability. The camaraderie and learning from others there also big part of it for me.

And the track has become the only place I drive near the car's limits. Wasn't always that way. Knowing I have a track day on the calendar even a month away, I'm less tempted to drive too aggressively. Not taking those risks for me is worth a ton.

SO of course completely agree the costs are worth it, for me too anyway, but gotta say I've been surprised how those add up quickly if one starts tracking more heavily, like your 35-40 days. More because of the mods it requires and the fact that I've been paying labor for (this is embarrasing) oil changes, pads and flushes. I'm committed to learning basic DIY before next season.

Anyone going for the 3 day PCA Schattenbaum HPDE @ NJMP Nov 4-6? Doing both courses!

I hope the newer tracks figure out how to operate viable businesses over cycles or we're going to be out of luck with nowhere to enjoy or maybe just less tracks out there.

i use www.motorsportsreg.com and http://www.clubregistration.net/

Lee,

I have signed up for the November Schatt event also. Is it both tracks?

It must be nice being older and the kids are all grown. Just had a newborn girl this summer and two little boys leaves me no time for any track events. My wife would be really upset if I said I'm going to the track for a weekend. The two little boys has a lot of activities during the weekends, maybe next season.

Very true. I have two older children and did very little when I chauffeured them around to their activities.

Nothing beats family and one of most recent exciting times was when my son and I took a track drivers course together. (his first time on the track)

Maybe a single day can work out for you. Really depends how close the track is.

Buckwheat,
Congratulations on your accomplishments and your zen-like, progression based approach to the track. I hope you continue to enjoy it in the best of health! Best,

PS Isn't it a great feeling when it dawns on you that "you've gotten it"? Yeah!!

This Saturday i will attend my first DE... I am very excited!

I have good drag racing experience with other cars and now with the Porsche i have only done autocross which is a great start to get the basics of the car's handling dynamics...

i am sure DE will be a completely different experience!

Yes it is. Just remember, no one has ever won (or lost) a DE.........Enjoy yourself :D

thanks SB, appreciate it.

Yes..its really felt terrific to begin to perform at a level I have been working so hard to reach for a long time.

Good luck...enjoy and let me suggest you drive within your means.

As SB says..no one wins or loses.

Did 5 DE events this season and learned more during each one. Last time at the Proformance lapping days had an instructor for an hour and then was solo for 2 hrs on a rainy, windy day at Pacific Raceways in the NW. Great for our usual weather up here. This past weekend went on a local PNWR club tour to the Oregon coast with lots of twisties. Weather surprising good but coming back yesterday some real hard rain. The DE and track events do help a lot in educating you on how not to get into trouble in the twisties. Car did great and so did the Pilot super sports. Temp was 55 degrees FYI.

Thats great to hear.

I use the MPSS also and I like them also. Great tire for the $$$

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